Vehicle light for a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle

• US 20020105812A1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Rommel, Bernd, Zimmermann, Werner
• Application Number:
  US10/016,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105812A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/487
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/005 Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor

Abstract

A vehicle light has at least one vehicle light housing having an open end and configured to be arranged on an inner side of a vehicle part of the vehicle. At least one illumination element is arranged in the at least one vehicle light housing. The vehicle part has a light-transmissive area covering the open end of the at least one vehicle light housing, wherein the light-transmissive area is at least partially transmissive for rays emitted by the illumination element. The vehicle part can be the trunk lid or the exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle light (5, 5a) for vehicles, comprising:

at least one vehicle light housing (21, 21a) having an open end and configured to be arranged on an inner side of a vehicle part (4, 35) of the vehicle;

at least one illumination element (22, 22a) arranged in the at least one vehicle light housing (21, 21a);

wherein the vehicle part (4, 35) has a light-transmissive area covering the open end of the at least one vehicle light housing (21, 21a), wherein the light-transmissive area is at least partially transmissive for rays emitted by the at least one illumination element (22, 22a).

2. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part is a car body part (4) comprising at least one opening (12) and a light-transmissive lens (13, 13a) arranged in the at least one opening (12) and forming the light-transmissive area.

3. The vehicle light according to claim 2, wherein the lens (13, 13a) has an outer side (14, 14a) and wherein the car body part (4) has an outer side (15), wherein the outer side (14, 14a) of the lens (13, 13a) and the outer side (15) of the car body part (4) are flush with one another.

4. The vehicle light according to claim 2, wherein the lens (13, 13a) closes the open end of the at least one vehicle light housing (21, 21a).

5. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmissive area of the vehicle part (4) is provided with a protective layer (31).

6. The vehicle light according to claim 5, wherein the protective layer (31) is light-transmissive.

7. The vehicle light according to claim 5, wherein the protective layer (31) has the same color as the vehicle.

8. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part (4) is a trunk lid of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part (4) is a rear hatch of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part (4) is comprised of light-opaque material.

11. The vehicle light according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle part (4) is made of metal.

12. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part (4) is comprised of plastic material.

13. The vehicle light according to claim 12, wherein the plastic material is a light-transmissive material.

14. The vehicle light according to claim 13, wherein the plastic material is coated by a coat of paint (30).

15. The vehicle light according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle part (4) and the light-transmissive area are comprised of light-transmissive plastic material.

16. The vehicle light according to claim 15, wherein the light-transmissive plastic material of the vehicle part (4) and the light-transmissive plastic material of the light-transmissive area are identical.

18. The vehicle light according to claim 17, wherein the gap (17) is covered from the outer side (15) of the car body part (4).

19. The vehicle light according to claim 18, comprising a cover element (6) connected to the outer side (15) of the car body part (4), wherein the gap (17) is covered by the cover element (6).

20. The vehicle light according to claim 19, wherein the cover element (6) is an emblem or a symbol.

21. The vehicle light according to claim 19, wherein the cover element (6) is light-opaque.

22. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein an emblem (6) or a symbol is provided on an outer side (15) of the vehicle part (4), wherein the emblem (6) or the symbol is at least partially comprised of light-transmissive material.

23. The vehicle light according to claim 22, wherein the vehicle part (4) is at least partially light-transmissive in an area underneath the emblem (6).

24. The vehicle light according to claim 22, wherein the vehicle part (4) is light-opaque in the area surrounded by the emblem (6).

25. The vehicle light according to claim 22, wherein the vehicle part is a car body part (4) comprising at least one opening (12) and a light-transmissive lens (13, 13a) arranged in the at least one opening (12) and forming the light-transmissive area, wherein a gap (17) is defined between an edge of the lens (13, 13a) and an edge (16) of the opening (12), and wherein the gap (17) is covered at an inner side of the car body part (4).

26. The vehicle light according to claim 25, wherein the lens (13) comprises at least one support part (18) arranged at a spacing from the inner side of the car body part (4) and configured to receive at least one sealing element (19).

27. The vehicle light according to claim 26, wherein the at least one support part (18) is an annular flange projecting radially from the lens (13).

28. The vehicle light according to claim the 26, wherein the at least one vehicle light housing (21) has a shoulder surface (25) and wherein the at least one support part (18) rests against the shoulder surface (25) of the at least one vehicle light housing (21).

29. The vehicle light according to claim 2, wherein the lens (13, 13a) is centered by the at least one vehicle light housing (21, 21a).

30. The vehicle light according to claim 1, further comprising at least one optical element (29) positioned in the path of the rays emitted by the at least one illumination element (22a).

31. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part is a mirror head (34) of an exterior rearview mirror (32) and wherein the light-transmissive area (36) is provided on the mirror head (34).

32. The vehicle light according to claim 31, wherein the mirror head (34) has a mirror housing (35) made of light-transmissive plastic material and the mirror housing (35) is coated externally with a light-opaque coat of paint.

33. The vehicle light according to claim 32, wherein the coat of paint on the light-transmissive area (36) has a thickness enabling the rays emitted by the at least one illumination element (22, 22a) to pass through.

34. The vehicle light according to claim 1, wherein the at least one illumination element (22, 22a) is an LED.

17. The vehicle light according to claim for 2, wherein between the edge of the lens (13, 13a) and the edge (16) of the opening (12) a gap (17) is defined and wherein the gap (17) is covered.